Intentional Living in the Second Half

I WILL CHOOSE JOY

By Lisa Huddleston

“I will choose joy. I will choose joy. …” Man! Why is this so hard to do? It’s more than a mantra. It’s more than a chorus. And it’s tough.

Some days are harder than others. I feel guilty even complaining. My life is easy. So much more so than many others’. Yet, I am not right this minute feeling joyful. Instead, I’m tired and b***** (rhymes with witchy.) I do not want to take my car to the shop. I do not want to do laundry. I do not want to exercise or cook dinner or even get dressed. I will do all these mundane things—but I will not do them with joy! (Place stubborn foot stamp here.)

Or will I? Is it really a choice? Ugh. I know that it is.

This past Sunday my pastor preached about hope. He chose Psalms 42 and 43 as his text, and I’ve pondered, chewed, mulled over and just maybe digested these words all week long. “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”

Right now, I could list the reasons my soul feels disturbed within me—and right now they feel like pretty legitimate reasons. But am I willing to go with the rest of the words? Yeeeeeees . . . ? Ok. Yes.

As Pastor Jim preached and as these truthful words so clearly detail, praise is the answer to despair. And praise is a choice! Like hope. Like joy.

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Sandrasays:

From a Bible study I did this summer “Choose Joy” by Kay Warren, says this: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right and the determined choice to praise God in all things.” We memorized this for the class. I remind myself quite often. 🙂